If you think that pimples are a sign of poor hygiene, you are very wrong. Because the fact is: blemishes always occur when the body is out of balance. This happens above all when we eat too one-sidedly or are exposed to permanent stress. But natural hormone fluctuations or hereditary predispositions can also contribute to the fact that you suffer from pimples in adulthood. The correct handling of skin impurities is all the more important – from cleaning to care. Here you can find out how pimples develop and how they can be treated quickly and effectively to improve the appearance of your skin.
Pimples appear where you can least use them: on the face, décolleté or back. This is sometimes due to the fact that there are particularly many sebaceous glands in these body regions, which can clog our pores through excessive production. But external influences such as dirt particles, creams and make-up also promote skin impurities such as blackheads and the like. There are also other factors such as dead skin cells, sweat and hormonal changes (e.g. taking or stopping the pill, pregnancy and childbirth or the menopause), which contribute to the fact that many adults suffer from pimples in old age.
Before you get out the chemical club, it is always advisable to rely on proven home remedies. On the one hand, these are better tolerated and, on the other hand, they are significantly cheaper to buy – you may even already have some of the following ingredients at home:
1. Healing Earth
Healing earth has long been used in alternative medicine. The mineral powder of natural origin is particularly skin-friendly, but what is even more important: its ingredients can help pimples to subside faster. All you have to do is apply the healing clay to your face or décolleté – there are both loose powder and ready-made masks for external use. If you decide on the former, proceed as follows: Put two teaspoons of soil in a small bowl and mix it with ten tablespoons of water until a kind of porridge is formed. Apply this to the desired body parts over a large area and let it soak in until the soil has dried. Then wash the mask off with a soft cloth and warm water. You can get the finished mask here.
2. Teebaumöl
A classic from the pharmacy is tea tree oil. Due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, the proven household remedy can be used specifically to combat skin impurities. The oil not only promotes wound healing, but also dries up pimples and relieves unpleasant pain or swelling. However, only drop the product on the affected areas, preferably with a cotton swab, and let it soak in (preferably overnight) – unless you have particularly sensitive skin that dries out quickly. In this case, you should wash off the tea tree oil after 15 to 20 minutes. Use a cotton pad and lukewarm water for this.
3. Aloe vera
The desert plant is a small miracle weapon against pimples: the active ingredients it contains are astringent and antibacterial at the same time. In other words, the resulting gel can be used specifically to treat skin impurities, redness and swelling caused by pimples. But the plant itself also has an anti-inflammatory effect – if you have a specimen at home, you can remove a piece of a leaf. The healing gel collects at the interface within a short time, which you simply have to apply to your skin or the affected body parts. If you don’t have aloe vera, you can simply buy the ready-made gel here.
4. Zink
Zinc is also said to have an antiseptic, wound-healing, adsorptive and astringent effect. For this reason, zinc ointments are a popular remedy for skin blemishes: the zinc oxide they contain not only dries out pimples, but also promotes wound healing in the case of weeping and painful skin particles. As an alternative to the classic zinc ointment, there are also zinc capsules – the German Society for Nutrition recommends that women take no more than 12 milligrams of zinc per day and men no more than 15 milligrams of zinc. By taking it, you support the skin from the inside, it is said.
5. Apple cider vinegar
At this point, you might be wondering how is apple cider vinegar supposed to help fight your pimples? In fact, this is also a tried and tested household remedy that has an antibacterial effect and can therefore help to treat and prevent skin blemishes. For the treatment, mix a tablespoon of vinegar with a glass of water, then dip a cotton pad in the liquid and rub it on your pimples – to clean the pores and improve the complexion of the skin. Learn more about apple cider vinegar.
6. Honey
It has long been known that honey also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Especially the Manuka honey obtained in New Zealand is currently being touted as a new miracle cure for pimples, but why? In principle, it has the same antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties as regular honey – but according to New Zealand’s University of Waikato, these are far more intense. Again, the golden juice is simply applied to the skin to get rid of pimples. You can use the rest for colds or gastrointestinal diseases.
If none of the home remedies mentioned were able to achieve the desired effect for you, there is still a large selection of care products for skin impurities. Do not use aggressive products that dry out pimples – this only stimulates sebum production and, conversely, leads to even more pimples. Instead, prefer a mild cleansing gel or facial tonic. Alternatively, you can also use rose water, which is used for cleaning and care like a normal facial tonic. Peelings, on the other hand, should only be used sparingly, i.e. no more than once or twice a week, to remove dead skin cells. You should then provide your skin with sufficient moisture. Fluids, gels or creams that are quickly absorbed are recommended here.
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